Trump says Iran ceasefire deal is 'over' after new round of strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi pushed back Wednesday after President Donald Trump sharply criticized Iran’s leadership, saying insults directed at the Iranian people “do not diminish” the country’s greatness.

“Iranians are known for their civility, culture, and strong moral values,” Araghchi wrote on X. “We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor.”

The comments come after Trump intensified his rhetoric against Tehran amid renewed U.S. military strikes and the collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.

In a separate post, translated from Arabic, Araghchi thanked Iraq’s government, people and religious authorities for what he called their “warm hospitality” and “dignified farewell” for Iran’s “martyred Imam,” adding that the relationship between Iran and Iraq is rooted in “shared values” and “a common destiny.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of his intent to rescind Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, beginning the required 45-day congressional notification period.

Rubio said the move follows Trump’s sanctions relief executive order, counterterrorism actions taken by the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa and assurances that Syria “will not support acts of international terrorism in the future.”

“Today marks a significant milestone in the revived U.S.-Syria bilateral relationship,” Rubio said, adding that lifting sanctions is intended to help unlock trade and investment while supporting Syria’s reconstruction.

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday the Trump administration’s agreement with Iran was straightforward: The U.S. would ease its blockade if Tehran stopped attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They were good. They were well behaved for about a week, but then they started shooting at ships,” Vance told reporters in Milwaukee.

“The deal is very simple. If they shoot at ships, we’re going to knock the hell out of them. … They can either follow it or they can have exactly what happened to them last night. It’s just going to keep on happening until they open up that lane and stop shooting at ships.”

Vance said President Trump remains committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial traffic, calling it “that crucial artery through which we ship a lot of the world’s energy.”

The U.S. has roughly 20 Navy ships and support vessels operating in the Arabian Sea, carrying about 20,000 sailors and Marines, according to multiple U.S. Navy officials.

The force includes two carrier strike groups led by the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush, along with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the USS Boxer, USS Comstock and USS Portland.

Officials said a total of 24 U.S. naval vessels are currently positioned across the region, including four guided-missile destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean and at Souda Bay, Greece.

One notable change from last week is that the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit have shifted operations to the Indian Ocean, while the USS New Orleans remains in the Arabian Sea.

Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this reporting.

President Donald Trump called out Spain, Italy and the U.K. for not offering immediate support in the war against Iran on Wednesday.

Trump made the comment while speaking to the press at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey. The president described their response as a "bad moment" but later emphasized the "tremendous unification" he saw among NATO members during their meetings on Wednesday.

Retired Gen. Jack Keane joined Fox News to discuss Iran's perspective on the Strait of Hormuz, arguing Tehran views it as a "strategic asset" for "geopolitical blackmail."

President Donald Trump says the U.S. made progress in eliminating Iranian small boats used to harass vessels in the strait. He also said multiple countries were planning to deploy minesweeper vessels to the strait.

President Donald Trump denied that he was choosing to restart the war against Iran on Wednesday, claiming instead that the U.S. is only responding to aggression from Iran.

Trump told reporters gathered for a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that the U.S. will always hit back "10 times harder" when Iran launches strikes against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

A reporter pressed Trump on whether he plans to fully renew the war against Iran, and Trump denied it, saying he expects the conflict to be over "quickly."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., blasted President Donald Trump's handling of the Iran war Wednesday after the U.S. renewed strikes against Tehran.

Schumer said Trump's efforts to negotiate with Iran have ended in "utter disaster," and called on the administration to work through Congress to achieve an end to hostilities.

“Trump’s so-called ‘deal’ to end hostilities with Iran has turned into total, utter disaster," Schumer wrote in a statement. “This is what happens when an incompetent president launches a war with no objective, no plan, and no exit strategy – you lose."

"The American people are paying the price for Trump’s total failure in Iran. Our troops are back in harm’s way and high gas costs are continuing to punish working families. Enough. This war was illegal, ill-advised, and irresponsible from the start. The Trump administration must double down on serious negotiations, come to Congress, comply with the majorities in both chambers who voted to end this war, and deliver the relief American families desperately need," he added.

President Donald Trump praised the leaders of fellow NATO countries during the summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.

Speaking to the press after a meeting with other heads of state, Trump praised NATO general secretary Mark Rutte and said there was "tremendous love" among the leaders.

"I also want to thank NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Mark is an extraordinary person, smart, great leader. It's not easy leading so many leaders like that. A lot of leaders, and they're strong personalities, every one of them. And Mark, marked as an unbelievable job. Couldn't find anybody better," Trump told reporters.

"I just want to say there was tremendous love in that room. The press got to see the the sitting, but they didn't get to see the speaking. And I actually said, it's too bad the press couldn't see this because every one of them spoke for a little while, and I spoke for a little while, and it's a big it's a lot of speeches. We kept it short, but it's too bad the press couldn't have seen what we, what we were doing in that room because it was, very smart people. And they have a lot of good in their heart, not evil, good. And they're doing a great job for their country. The world is doing well," he said.

A top Democratic senator admitted on CBS News that he believes President Donald Trump "wisely" made the critical demand to NATO allies to spend more on defense.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who is in Turkey this week as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation to NATO, spoke with CBS News when an anchor laughingly asked him about Trump’s "strange relationship with NATO over his push for them to spend more on security." The anchor asked Durbin, "Where does this relationship go from here?"

In response, Durbin described Trump’s relationship with NATO as a "back-and-forth, love-and-hate relationship." He went on to say that "the president has, I think, wisely asked for our NATO allies, there are 32 members of NATO, to spend more of their own money to protect themselves."

"That’s not an unreasonable ask," he added.

Durbin, who has served in the Senate for nearly 30 years, is the minority whip and ranking member of the influential Judiciary Committee. He is in Ankara, Turkey's capital, as part of a congressional delegation led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., to the 2026 NATO Summit. Trump is also attending the summit, accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz.

Durbin did not spend all his time praising the president. Speaking from Ankara, he went on to say that "there have been things that happened during his second presidency which raised the question of our commitment to the future of NATO."

"I believe in it; that’s why I’m here. And I’ve found that of the delegates that are here from all over the region, part of NATO, that they believe, as I do, that we’re a safer world with the NATO alliance. We have been since 1945."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Peter Pinedo.

Greenland is "not for sale," Denmark’s prime minister said Wednesday, vowing to defend the Danish territory after President Donald Trump again said the United States should control the Arctic island for NATO defense.

Denmark is "ready to defend every inch of NATO including our own territory," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, adding she would call on NATO allies to honor their commitment to defend each other.

"We hope that all, including all allies, will respect the Greenland people's right for self-determination," she continued. "And we are sovereign states and we need everybody to respect our territorial integrity and our sovereignty.

"Greenland is of course not for sale," she said.

Trump continues to stress that Greenland "is very important" for the U.S. but not for Denmark, declaring, "We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States."

Also, Denmark is coming up short in its support for Greenland, which remains a strategic target for both Russia and China.

"That's what hurt my relationship with NATO," Trump said Tuesday of the refusal to grant his request for annexation of the strategic land.

"Denmark doesn't spend money to really help Greenland, but it's an important part for the United States. And it's surrounded by China ships and Russian ships."

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Erick Mack.

Former Trump National Security Council senior director Robert Greenway joined "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday to discuss the renewed war against Iran as well as the potential optics it could have on midterm elections.

Greenway argued Trump enjoys huge leverage over the Iranian regime.

President Donald Trump says several European NATO countries have committed to sending minesweeper vessels to the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump confirmed the detail during a press conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday. He said the U.S. anticipates Iran attempting to place more mines in the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days.

"And one of the things that came up today is that European nations and NATO will, they're sending minesweepers. We don't need them now...but they'll probably drop some more. They're evil people. They're sick people that really they're mentally disturbed people. And, it should have been done 47 years ago," Trump said.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. may attempt to take over Iran's oil stronghold of Kharg Island on Wednesday.

The president revealed that the U.S. hit the island with airstrikes in a wave of attacks on Tuesday, though he said he instructed military officials to avoid damaging the island's oil infrastructure.

Kharg Island is a major stronghold for Iran leading to the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for a large portion of its oil industry.

"We attacked Kharg Island last night. We knocked out a piece. I said, don't don't touch the oil because maybe we'll take over Kharg Island. You know, we may take over Kharg Island. It's not a thing they can do about it. But I said, don't hit the pipes. Just hit everything else and they hit it," Trump said.

"They may hit it again tonight," he added.

President Donald Trump says U.S. forces eliminated dozens of Iranian small boats in a wave of strikes Tuesday night.

Trump revealed the detail during a gaggle with reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, going on to tease that the U.S. is likely to continue its wave of strikes Wednesday night.

"You know, they have they like to drop mines in [the strait]. And we hit a lot of them last night, like 28. We knocked out 28 boats last night. Little ones. That's all they have is little ones," Trump said.

"Are you going to try to take out more tonight?" a reporter asked.

"Will we go tonight. You know, normally I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't tell you. But you know what? There's not a thing they can do about it. So the answer is probably," Trump said.

President Donald Trump says an Iran peace agreement may never happen, despite efforts by top members of his administration.

Speaking at a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said Iran's negotiations "lie" and "cheat," and that the U.S. may move forward against Iran "without a deal."

"I don't know if we're going to have a deal. We may just do it without a deal. Because you know what? It's easier because these people, they lie and they cheat, and you have an agreement and they'll go outside. Our guys can continue, you know, Steve [Witkoff] is great. And Jared [Kushner], all the guys," Trump said.

"You know what we settled eight wars. I got a couple of beauties here. But, but Steve's great. And Jared, it's great. You know, there's the right guys. And we'll see what happens," Trump said.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is likely to carry out further strikes against Iran tonight.

Trump made the statement during a press event at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.

"They are behaving very badly, as they have for 47 years. And, you know, we hit them hard last night after they launched, they launched a couple of--you don't have to know about this. You got enough on your mind--But they launched a couple of drones and one rocket, one missile and at ships because they were in the strait, which they have every right to be. And so we hit them very hard last night. Very, very probably hit them hard again tonight. I'll give them a little warning. We're going to hit them hard tonight," Trump said.

The U.S. already carried out a large wave of offensive strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday after Tehran launched attacks on trade vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said earlier Wednesday that while his negotiators are free to continue talks with Iran, he is no longer convinced it is worthwhile. He has lashed out at the regime in Tehran as "cuckoo," "sick" and "dirty players" in recent days.

President Donald Trump condemned the Iranian regime as "scum" and "evil" after the U.S. carried out offensive strikes against the country on Wednesday.

Trump lost patience with Tehran after the regime launched attacks against trade vessels in the Strait of Hormuz this week. He says he has no interest in continuing peace talks with the regime, saying it is likely a "waste of time."

President Donald Trump lashed out at NATO allies over their stance on Greenland and defense spending during a high-stakes summit in Ankara.

Trump also criticized NATO countries who were slow to assist or outright refused to assist the U.S. during the war against Iran in recent months.

The U.S. is clawing back oil sanctions waivers offered to Iran as part of a framework deal that kicked off a two-month negotiating period after Iran attacked commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz Monday and Tuesday. 

A U.S. official confirmed that three commercial vessels were struck by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz between Monday and Tuesday, reigniting tensions after President Donald Trump said the U.S. had given Tehran "a week off" during funeral ceremonies for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

"As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly affirmed, the MOU in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based. Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior," a U.S. official said, confirming the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) would revoke the sanctions waivers. 

"Iran’s actions in the Strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences. Our negotiators continue to work in good faith towards a final deal," the official continued. 

The sanctions relief was part of a memorandum of understanding signed in June that launched a 60-day negotiating period between Washington and Tehran. Under the framework, both sides agreed to halt military operations while pursuing a broader peace agreement, and Iran committed to reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping in exchange for limited economic relief, including oil sanctions waivers.

The attacks targeted commercial shipping transiting one of the world's busiest maritime choke points. British maritime authorities confirmed a vessel was struck by a projectile near the coast of Oman Monday, while Iranian state media reported the ship had ignored warnings from Iranian forces. The attack reportedly caused a fire on board, but there were no immediate reports of fatalities.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Morgan Phillips.

Israeli Defense Forces say they eliminated a Hezbollah terrorist who opened fire on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon on Tuesday.

"IDF soldiers conducted searches of the structure where an encounter took place last Thursday, within the Security Zone in the area of Bint Jbeil, during which an IDF reservist was severely injured," the IDF said in a statement.

"During the searches, a Hezbollah terrorist operating inside the structure opened fire at the soldiers," the statement continued. "The soldiers immediately returned fire, eliminating the terrorist. No IDF injuries were reported."

"The IDF will continue to operate to remove any threat to its troops and will not allow the Hezbollah terrorist organization to harm Israeli civilians," the IDF added.

Qatar's foreign ministry condemned Iran for its renewed missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday, calling them a "blatant violation" of sovereignty.

"The State of Qatar strongly condemns the repeated Iranian attacks on the fraternal Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Kuwait, considering them a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the two countries and a flagrant breach of the rules of international law," Qatar's foreign ministry wrote in a statement.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses the need to spare the region the consequences of unjustified attacks, to continue on the path of dialogue and diplomacy, to reduce escalation, and to build on the gains achieved within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, in a way that contributes to consolidating security and stability at the regional and international levels," the statement added.

The ministry statement went on to say that Qatar stands in "full solidarity" with both Bahrain and Kuwait and whatever measures they choose to take to "preserve their sovereignty and security."

Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted more than a dozen Iranian missiles and UAVs targeting Kuwaiti territory, the country announced on Wednesday.

The Kuwaiti army says it successfully intercepted two missiles and 13 UAVs that breached Kuwaiti airspace. Authorities said the strikes caused "no material damage or human injuries."

The monthslong conflict with Iran has seen Kuwait shoot down 15 cruise missiles, 383 ballistic missiles and 906 UAVs, the armed forces say.

Kuwait has condemned the regime in Tehran for "heinous Iranian aggression."

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he considers the tentative ceasefire with Iran to be "over," telling reporters alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the alliance's annual summit in Ankara, Turkey, that the agreement had become "a waste of time."

"For me, I think it's over," Trump said. "As far as I'm concerned it's just a waste of time."

Trump said he no longer believes Tehran is negotiating in good faith, accusing Iranian leaders of agreeing to terms privately before publicly denying them.

"They're liars," Trump said. "We make a deal. ... They go outside, talk to the press. They say, 'We never even talked about it.' ... As far as I'm concerned, it's over."

He said U.S. negotiators could continue talks with Iran but predicted they would go nowhere.

"They can talk, but I think they're wasting their time. They're liars, they're cheats. They're sick people."

The comments came hours after the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian military targets and revoked a license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil, saying the moves were retaliation for Tehran's attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the U.S. struck after Iran resumed attacks on ships despite being given time to conduct funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The interim agreement between Washington and Tehran had been intended to reduce tensions and allow commercial traffic to resume through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane that carries roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil. But Iran struck at least three commercial vessels transiting the waterway on Monday and Tuesday, prompting the U.S. military response.

U.S. Central Command said American forces struck more than 80 Iranian targets, including air defense systems, radar sites and Revolutionary Guard vessels used to threaten shipping. Iran responded with strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, fueling concerns the conflict could widen and sending oil prices sharply higher.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.